Various play surfaces, sets and items have been designed for use with toy vehicles and more specifically toy die cast vehicles. Examples of play surfaces, sets and items are set forth in U.S. Pat. Publication Nos. D265220; D309646; U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,025,626; 3,579,904; 3,643,865; 4,091,561; 4,101,131; 4,504,012; 4,569,527; 4,953,786, 5,000,715; 5,002,513; 5,326,267; 6,056,619; 6,193,581; 6,227,931; 6,322,415; 6,328,500; 6,464,223; 7,364,489; 2006/0128259; GB 2090146 and WO 2007/026277. In several of these known arrangements, roadways and dioramas are printed directly onto the play surface and offer little in the way of realism as one might find, for instance, in some model railroading arrangements. Additionally, graphic representations that are printed in such arrangements often tend to be stylized and out of scale with that of toy die cast vehicles.
Other play sets more specific to toy die cast vehicles have been known. Some of these sets utilize the easy spinning wheel designs found on these vehicles, and provide a guided track that cradles the wheels and is assembled in various configurations that allow for a multitude of high speed stunt tricks and maneuvers. Some of the aforementioned sets also utilize a motorized drive wheel device in which the vehicles are passed through and shot down the assembled track. While these sets offer play value, they fail to possess a true sense of realism that would appeal to a play pattern more focused on the imagination of children and collectors alike.
Some of the prior art play surfaces, sets and items incorporate magnetism in their constructions.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0128259 relates to the provision of a playmate and also a toy which includes a playmate and articles to be placed thereon in play. The play mat includes at least a portion, more typically a layer, of a magnetic or magnetically attractive material such as a metalized compound. The articles include magnetic or magnetically attractive material therein such that when the child brings the article into proximity with the playmate, a magnetic field is created which acts to retain the article in position where placed by the child. The article is retained at that location until the child exerts a movement force on the article to overcome the magnetic force.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,364,487 relates to a structure building system that utilizes a mat, a set of connectors and a set of structural members to build a structure. In a preferred embodiment, magnetic coupling/connection may be used to connect the piece of the structure together. The system may also have one or more pieces of material that may be draped over the structure.
International Application No. WO 2007/026277 relates to a magnetic display apparatus comprising a playing surface, a plurality of magnetic field emitting elements adapted to generate a spatially varying magnetic field across the surface and one or more moveable objects, adapted to sense and react to magnetic field levels across the surface.
Great Britain Patent Application 2 090 146 relates to a table mat that has on one or both surfaces the markings of a playing area for a game. Playing pieces are removably secured to the playing area by magnetic attraction. The mat has a depth greater than the thickness of a playing piece and at least one recess in which the playing pieces can be stored.